It’s that time of the month — the first Friday, and that means party time at the Whanganui Musicians Club Night. Equally impressive this past month was the Songwriters Gala when the stage was the focus for original songs and music and the club hosted a cast of hundreds! Well, there were more than 30 singers/songwriters/musicians/producers, and many more who contributed to a fabulous feast of creativity that wowed the audience. Don’t be surprised to hear more from some of these local artists at Friday’s open mic.
Stoker, the featured band at June’s meeting, follows very much in this creative vein, with Feilding-based Abbey Brown combining composing, singing, and her experiences with belly dancing in the performance. Palmerston North’s Will Palmer has been playing bass with Abbey for many years, and the present lineup includes Whanganui drummer Terry Jackson and guitarist Stu Davies, also from Fielding.
Their music is influenced by grunge bands and classic 70s rock bands like Fleetwood Mac. The songs extend from rock and metal to punk and even a flamenco-sounding song. “My favourite song changes all the time, depending on my mood. None of the songs lose their magic, though; I can chant the lyrics week in and week out and they still retain their power.”
Although Brown considers herself an introvert who is sometimes shy, she enjoys entertaining. “You get lost in the music; you’re not thinking any more, you are feeling and reacting and being a puppet to the music. Stoker enables me to explore, experiment, and express myself and give myself a voice to my emotions.”
And she’s looking forward to seeing how the Whanganui audience will use her belly dance props. Come to the party and find out!
